


confrontations

by legobricked



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-09
Updated: 2014-03-09
Packaged: 2018-01-15 02:12:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1287376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legobricked/pseuds/legobricked
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tactician avoids everyone and their bombardment of pity and sympathy, including her husband.</p>
            </blockquote>





	confrontations

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to end up sappy and happy but I couldn't do it. "I have failed you," I address to my locker door, stroking a screenshot of my favorite gaius/fmu fanfic.

She didn’t mean to avoid him. It just… happened. River wasn’t sure exactly what it was that made her run from Gaius. She even ran from Chrom when she could; it wasn’t just her husband. All that the tactician knew was that she began seeking Libra’s company more often; perhaps she hoped the holy man could shed light in this desperate situation the Shepherds found themselves in. And, when she wasn’t seeking Libra’s company, River found repose in Tharja’s. The scary tendencies from Tharja long dropped, River found much comfort in the dark mage’s presence.

The shocker Validar had revealed was almost too incredible to believe. River, his _daughter_ , was bred to be the perfect vessel of the god of destruction. She was supposed to be the cataclysm of the apocalypse and her best friend’s living nightmare made almost true.

Her blood was the final key to the resurrection of Grima, and all she wanted to do was drown in a lake.

The first few days were the worst. Nearly everyone came to her and tried to cheer her up at every opportunity. Even gynophobe Lon’Qu and carefree Henry would express their grievance or give her a pat on the back as if it was supposed to make her feel better. It got so much that River exploded on the camp at dinner once, when she slammed her fist on her table and told everyone to shut up.

She let everyone have the next day off with Chrom’s consent as an apology.

The only ones who didn’t do any of these things were Libra, Tharja, Chrom, and Gaius. With the former two, they never brought up Grima unless River did, and chose to silently comfort their friend where words were failing to reach her.

With the latter two, River avoided them entirely.

Chrom seemed to understand, mostly. Often times he would try to catch the tactician after a strategy meeting, but never pushed his luck when she rejected his company. More likely than not, River figured Chrom wanted to talk about the situation, but River could barely even say Grima’s name out loud. It was hard for her to cope with being the very existence Chrom had been trying to eradicate, and River made note to thank Chrom for being so patient with her when she could finally talk. They should have discussed this immediately, but Chrom allowed her to be selfish and take her time.

However, River had no excuse for avoiding Gaius. More than Chrom, River should have talked to him, or at least seek comfort in him, instead of going to Libra and Tharja. River spent most of her free time mulling over why she avoided him. It got so bad that River ended up sleeping in Tharja’s tent on nights when River suspected Gaius was putting much more effort to try to talk to her. Both confidants asked her why she kept this up, Libra hinting to River that Gaius was much more worried than angry, but all River could tell them that she wasn’t ready to talk to him yet.

Of course, that didn’t help her at all when Gaius finally  _did_  catch her. She was sewing some clothes with Cordelia when Gaius snuck up behind River and grabbed her by both of her shoulders. Worried, Cordelia wanted to mediate for the both of them, she was no stranger to River’s strange behavior around Gaius, but the tactician dismissed her with a sigh, thanking her for the concern as Cordelia reluctantly left them.

“Just, before this goes anywhere,” River stalled, “Let me finish these. I don’t wanna get distracted and leave these all tattered and torn.” River hoped she could at least give herself some time alone to compose herself but Gaius had other plans.

“Fine. I’ll help,” Gaius said. Despite River’s mortification, he sat down where Cordelia was previously and took the needle and string. River sighed again, and accepted her defeat. She did her best to concentrate hard on the work so she could forget the foreboding presence a mere feet away from her, but that had averse results. They ended up finishing the task much faster than what River would have preferred, and so she tried again to stall for time, slowly walking back to the tent where the clothes went in the storage.

The walk to the storage was just as tense, but Gaius didn’t so much as glance her way. In fact, he seemed… very calm. It was worrisome and the guilt ate up at River, but she did her best to keep up a likewise calm demeanor. Ricken and Maribelle walked by and waved hello, but Maribelle quickly diverted Ricken away after seeing just _which_ pair was walking their way.

Another sigh escaped River as she placed the clothes back on the shelves for someone else to redistribute them later. River waited for Gaius to say something, but instead he grabbed her arm.

“Whoa, what the-!” River blurted in surprise. She winced at how tightly he gripped her and was about to protest until he suddenly yanked her outside, dragging her into the woods where she assumed they could have some privacy.

“Gaius-I can walk!” River grunted as she tried to wrangle loose of Gaius’ hold. He finally let go after he roughly pushed her aside.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he yelled. “You’ve been avoiding me for over a week, and that’s all you have to say to me?”

“Well, what were you expecting, suddenly ambushing me like that?” River rubbed her arm which became sore where Gaius gripped her.

“Ambush?” Gaius scoffed in disbelief, “Did you forget the part where we’re married and you refusing to even look at me for days?”

Gaius ran his hand over his face, tousling his hair in annoyance. River likewise pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to gather her thoughts. He turned to River and was about to say something before he dropped his shoulders and sighed. River didn’t say anything.

“You know how angry I am with you,” Gaius began slowly, “and we both know it’s not going to do either of us good if I keep yelling at you. So…” Gaius took a deep breath before continuing. “Why?”

River didn’t speak immediately. She thought over her words first, and then said, quietly, “You’re gonna need to be more specific than that.”

Gaius scoffed again, “Don’t play games, River, you know what I mean by that.”

“I’m not, I’m just trying to make sure I understand,” River explained. She felt her eyes well up in tears, and River did her best to make sure they didn’t fall. It was horrible having to talk to Gaius like this, and it was even worse how pathetic she felt for wronging him.

“ _You_ want to understand? That’s what I’m trying to do! Almighty gods, River, why didn’t you come to me after what happened? After what we all found out? I want to help you!”

“How was I supposed to know that?” River pleaded. “I have dragon blood within me, Gaius; I’m the one everyone’s  _so_  afraid of. How in the world was I supposed to know you weren’t afraid of me, too?” River’s voice nearly cracked and she felt a warm tear run down her cheek.

“First off, you may have his blood in you but that doesn’t make you  _him_. Secondly, how could I _ever_ be afraid of my own wife? You’re my family, River. I’d never abandon you.”

The agonized look he gave her was too much to bear, and River broke eye contact. Ruffling her hair, she grunted in frustration and wiped the tears that were freely flowing from her eyes. She was facing in the opposite direction now, hands clutching her head as if she had a horrible headache, and River crouched down. Gaius could hear her sobbing, and crouched next to her, bringing his arm over her shoulders and pulling her in his embrace. She kept whispering, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” over and over again. He made no movement or sound to hush her, and the evening was filled with her quiet sobs.


End file.
